I wont lie I have "soap boxs" for everything listed above. It was the kind of conversation that I get misty eyed in. I get so excited talking about Jesus and how the Old Testament points so clearly to Israel's need for a " NEW Son of David", a "New Jerusalem", and "New WAY" .... and what did Jesus say " I AM THE WAY, the Truth and the Light..."
Last night for our homegroup I led a condescend bible study off " Jesus wants to save Christians" by Rob Bell. I connected two of the chapters, to the book of Daniel we had just finished. Its interesting to think of how we view God. I would say off the bat " God cares about the widows, orphanages, poor. He is a God of Peace and Justice, one of strength and joy. He is the voice of the oppressed and the rescuer of those in need ." BUT how do I believe that affects who I AM, or do I believe it even does? Do I let God's character affect who I am? how I live? How I love?
God asked the Israelite to be his " priests" to the world. His "body", to show what He is like, what he cares about WHO he cares about. The Israelites failed and went back into exile. They were overwhelmed with "entitlement" and lost sight of the things God cared about.
As a Christian, I represent Jesus to the world around me (even if I don't want to I do.. but I do want to- FYI) What I care about, how I love, WHO I love, all tell people something about Jesus, about my God.
As much as I want to say I do a good job at portraying the "things, people, and how God loves them all". The truth is while maybe in some areas I do a good job, in other areas I still "feel very entitled to things".
Gold is something I know I am "not entitled to." A single gold ring creates as much as 20 Tons of waste. " Not to mention the "unethical means gold is dug up with child or slave labor, and very unsubstainibly. " I will not wear gold b/c of this (www.nodirtygold.com)
I have mentioned before about Chocolate, yet I continue to eat that "mysterious brand" of arabic chocolate that covers the ice cream cones I buy at the Duka.
But what I'm actually talking about in "entitlement" is much bigger then all of that. I have realized living here in a foreign land, that as Americans we are taught to believe from childhood that we are ENTITLED to a good life, a job we love ( not just one that makes us money) and that we are entitled to "Happiness". Not joy mind you, " HAPPINESS". But what does that even mean?
Sometimes I talk about my future in the single format- meaning that I'm never going to get married. I'm not meaning to be Debbie Downer or trying to get pity... I'm just saying its possible. Not everyone gets married. I know PLENTY of SINGLE women in their 35-mid 40's that want so badly to get married, and thats not a bad thing. But its like people in America esp are like " O thats horrible, they must be so unhappy". I want to know WHY! Sure they want to get married but if people didn't make them "feel" like they NEEDED to get married or worse yet "deserve" to get married... maybe they wouldn't worry about it so much.
Don't get me wrong I'd like to be married, but "deserve" ? I don't like the sound of that. A friend mentioned to me the other day, " you deserve a great guy . " Now I understand she was being nice. But I mean what is this deserve stuff! I am already blessed over a 100 times by the Grace and joy of Christ, knowing him, trying to live for him, I already have MORE then I "deserve". Sure I want to marry a great guy, yes I think Jesus wants me to marry a great guy - IF get married. BUT is that the BIG picture ? Is that the main point to "my story"? I hope not. I hope my life is for more then marriage. I hope that I am living for more then "happiness", and I Pray that REGARDLESS what I get, that I continue to be grateful for what God is doing!
You might be like what in the world. But I know too many people that "pray" for the things they "want", that they "deserve". I don't think its wrong, but I don't think its good either. Let us live in a way, that WHATEVER we have we are grateful for. Let us be people that live for the "Big Picture", the MAIN Story. I want to be someone that is joyful and pointing people to Christ, b/c I LOVE then things HE loves, not because I pray for the "things" I want.
I don't feel like this is clear. let me try and be simpler. JESUS is not just for you... YES he wants a personal relationship with you... but maybe its better to say HE Wants you to have a personal relationship with HIM. He wants you to be apart of His LARGE story... not you trying to fit him into your small story. HE wants to use you to be his "priests" to the nations, not you use him as ur person genie or emotional crutch...
It was a great homegroup last nite. It was a great lunch convo today. Gold is bad, and diamonds are not forever. Chocolate has children's blood in it sometimes. We suck at being God's "people", his "priests to the nations". BUT GRACE that covers us all, allows us to pick our selves back up again , and TRY to live in a way that the main point, the BIG Story is something that we are apart of .
IF we can forget what we "think" we are "entitled" to and start being grateful for WHAT God is doing NOW . I think JOY, not happiness, will overflow in our lives.
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